10 Questions with Anna Salenko

Al-Tiba9 Art Magazine ISSUE14 | Featured Artist

Anna Salenko (b. 1990, Vladivostok, based in Hong Kong ) shares her unique style as a fusion of cultures and captures the intersection of the visible world with our inner thoughts and perceptions. Anna's art is a reflection of a fleeting moment in the human mind. Obtaining a Certificate in Fine Art from Russia, a Diploma in Fashion from Italy, and a BA in Philosophy in 2023, her works have been exhibited globally, such as in Italy, France, Netherlands, China, Japan, Russia, Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore. Now based in Hong Kong, Anna has been featured in publications such as The Standard, HK01, SCMP, Tatler, Elle HK, MingPao, VIU TV, Singtao Daily, and China Daily.

www.annasalenko.art | @annasalenkoart

ARTIST STATEMENT

Anna Salenko, an artist exploring human emotions and connections, seeks to create a human presence through her art. Inspired by daily encounters, she emphasizes certain elements and utilizes traditional oil painting techniques, paying homage to her cultural background. Her project "Bubble World" emerged from an art residency in Chelsea. Studying people and their intangible emotions in New York City, Anna created abstract, bubble-like characters that represent the intricacies of the human experience within their own world.

Now, Anna works on "Religion between Us," a collection that highlights the absurdity of imposed behavioral norms. Through her paintings, she uncovers moments of ethics, morality, and interpersonal behavior, showcasing distorted standards. By merging faceless, fictional individuals with spherical forms, Anna symbolizes constant motion and evokes questions in viewers. Her art serves as her own "religion," communicating to those who believe in her. Anna Salenko's works embody philosophy with the potential to make a difference in the world and transform the lives of those connected to her art.

INTERVIEW

Please introduce yourself to our readers. Who are you, and what do you do?

I am Anna, and my work revolves around the psychology of human experiences. I focus on personally significant topics, such as daily life, self-reflection, and stories from my surroundings. I apply my theories and visualize them through figurative paintings.
For over thirteen years, I dedicated myself to creating expressive paintings using palette knives. Recently, I've been moved to work with abstract figurative faceless paintings that captivate viewers with their voluminous forms and thought-provoking inquiries. With my approach, I aim to convey my vision using vibrant and indulgent colors, emphasizing that each of us lives in a personal world shaped by our own imagination.

Tell us a bit about your background. You are originally from Russia but currently based in Hong Kong, and you mix these different cultures in your work. What inspired you to follow this path? And how did you get interested in art?

I was born in the eastern part of Russia in the port city of Vladivostok, located at the seashore where the mountains fall into the water and large waves crash. Now, living in Hong Kong, I do have the same feeling of nature that moves me back to my childhood. Humid winds and sea breezes flourish in me every day. My path has taken me from Asia to Europe and back to Asia. At the age of eighteen, right after graduating from school, I went to Italy to study. There, for four years, I absorbed all of the colors for my works; there, I picked my palette knife and mastered it as my main and favorite tool. After working in Moscow for a while, I relocated to China, a country whose cuisine and traditions I had known since early childhood, having grown up with a mix of Western and Eastern cultures. I eventually moved to Hong Kong 3 years ago, and now I see this place to take part in my life chapter.
Art has always been a secret place for me, where I can be alone and create my world while expressing my emotions - be it happiness or anxiety. Art helps me forget myself and immerse in my passion. I prefer spending a day creating in front of a canvas instead of being in front of people. I used to love drawing as a kid, and my mom took me to art lessons from local masters since the age of five. I remember doing plein air with oil colors at a very young age. Since then, I have been fascinated by the ability to create an image out of nothing.

What are your main goals when it comes to your art?

For me, art opens up our boundaries, boundaries for the creators to achieve their most cherished goals. I believe that my art can help eradicate vices and assist people in their personal growth.
Through my art, I strive to let viewers think, pause, reflect on their lives, and answer questions like: Do I exist within my own bubble world? What do I believe in? If more of us would wake up and allow harmony into our lives, just as I do by incorporating circular, bubble-like movements to harmonize all chaos in my paintings.

You primarily work with paintings. What does it represent for you? And how do you incorporate such different inspirations into your work?

When I face a blank canvas, I feel a sense of freedom to create whatever I desire, anything beyond the realms of this world. I draw inspiration from photography, but painting allows me to compose my own scenes, placing characters in unique situations with my own color palette. The ability to bring something to life from nothing has always inspired me to start conversations on the various topics on canvas.

Let's talk about your Bubble World series. How did you develop the concept behind the series, and where did you get your inspiration?

I started exploring this topic in New York. Seeing so much happening on the streets, contrasting scenes, and diversity around me inspired me to encapsulate the multitudes of the human experience within each character's own world. Through my observations of daily life, I noticed how challenging it is to truly understand each other's perspectives due to the inherent boundaries of our individual realities.
Since then, I've incorporated a bubble-like element in each of my paintings, representing the intangible connection between us. These bubbles may be obvious or transparent and serve to capture the invisible essence that typically goes unseen. We may not visually see them, but we can feel how others impact us. By exploring these dynamics, I aspire to convey the complexities of human interactions that exist between us.

You seem to have a particular color palette, as well as composition preferences. What is your creative process like? Can you walk us through the realization of one of your works from start to finish?

As building up work of contrast emotions, I do sensitively use contrasting colors. I believe the strong contrast in color, along with bold, thick layers of paint, helps me to effectively communicate my chosen subject. I attached to colors, each of which carries its own meaning: red shows passion, aggression, and power, yellow gives a sense of hope, and deep blue creates calmness, deep thinking, and cleanness. For me, both colors and composition are equally important, as they work together to enhance and support one another.

You are currently working on the "Religion between Us" series. Can you tell us more about it? How do you plan to work on it?

I read and analyze the things around me quite a lot, always contemplating how people interact and what motivates our actions. Recently, I thought that humans can believe in anything, so I decided to share this topic in a number of paintings featuring figures in social situations.
In essence, religion is shaped by the beliefs of those we put our trust in, regardless of who is speaking or what they are saying. People naturally seek a system to have faith in - they prefer not to question and readily accept even the most absurd ideas. They may perceive half-truths as complete truths. I aim to illustrate how imposed behavioral norms can appear absurd.
In my latest collection, I subtly reveal moments of ethics, morality, and interpersonal dynamics. I present imposed and distorted norms of behavior that, when viewed from an outside perspective, seem irrational. "Religion between us" signifies that there are barriers between us, as each person perceives the world through their own unique lens. It is as if they are in a dream-like state, perceiving everything through the channel of imagination.
Religion has a second meaning for me, as it is the creation of my own world in art, a world where the characters have no faces & we cannot understand their emotions, but we can interpret them through gestures. They are almost like abstract, fictional characters that harmoniously merge with large, round volumes. Everything around them is in motion. The longer you look at the paintings, the more questions arise. And so, a closed circle formed - I create my own religion and speak it to those who believe in me.

Is there anything else you would like to experiment with?

I do it a lot; it's constantly evolving progress!

Hong Kong is an excellent city for contemporary art and a huge market. What do you think of the art market in general? And what about the Hong Kong scene?

In my opinion, the city where an artist is based has a significant impact on their art, both visually and in terms of their artistic network and connections. You will find New York-based artists showcasing their work in New York, while here, the majority will be showing local HK artists. So I ask myself, do I want to showcase my art here? Do I want to display my art in Asia? Yes, at this period of my life, I see Hong Kong as my base, where I want to develop my art career.
The art market here undergoes changes each year. For example, this year, we have seen an influx of artwork from abroad, which brings a European style. There has been a noticeable increase in oil paintings and a shift towards a more mature and adult-like style. A few years ago, a common pattern was featuring cute pinkish, baby-like, big-eyed characters. Then, we had a year where art exhibited more depressive themes. Currently, I see major galleries reentering after a break in the Hong Kong market with prominent artists from the US or Europe. It is a fortunate opportunity for us to have access to auctions such as Sotheby's and Christie's, where we can see the hottest items and visit ArtBasel for international galleries, as well as visit solo shows of renowned artists in top galleries and have a city charm that also create a particular choice of collecting art.

Lastly, what are your plans for the rest of 2023? Any new exciting projects or exhibitions?

In just three weeks, I am organizing a group show, "Sensitive," which will feature the works of eight talented female artists. As I returned from my Summer Residency in New York, I am filled with a strong desire to connect female artists in one show. I see how many restrictions are placed on women and notice how female artists seem to be outside of the art world, even as we witness significant changes in society. It appears that femininity is no longer valued as it once was.
In addition, I'm working on a series of artworks in my new studio. This collection will be featured in my upcoming exhibition before the end of this year.

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.